Crown cap counting machine



y 8, 1950 J. NURNBERG 2,515,965

CROWN CAP coun'rmcmcmma Filed Dec. 4, 1945 I v 4 sheets-sheet 1 IN V ENTOR.

Jbhn Nurn ber BY y 8, 1950 J. NURNBERG 2,515,955

CROWN CAP COUNTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 EIE- EJbhn Nurnbe fg BY w fi M5.

ATTORA/E Y5 y 8, 1 50 r C J. Nmm 2,515,965

CROWN CAP COUNTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J1tar-.3-

Jbhn Nurn berg BY A from: Y6

y 1950 J. NURNBERG 2,515,965

CROWN CAP COUNTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4', 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V ENTOR.

John Nvrn berg, BY

A TT'ORNE Y5 Patented July 18, 1950 I John Numberg, Wilmington,

Continental Can Company, N. Y., a corporation of New DeL, assignor toInc., New York, York Application December 4, 1945, Serial No. 632,749

15 Claims.

caps and considerable difllculty has been experi-- enced in providingmean for counting and distributing the caps rapidly and without Jamming.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novelcrown cap counting machine structure including a hopper into which thecrown caps can be deposited indiscriminately, novel counting devices,novel means for feeding the caps to the counting devices without nestingor jamming, and novel lot distributing means for alternately deliveringlots of a predetermined number of caps to two receptacles.

Another object of the invention is to provide.

a novel machine of the character stated in which the counting devicesinclude an actuating star' wheel, opposed belt flights for gripping thecaps individually between them andfeeding said caps in contact with andpast the star wheel, and means for presenting the caps individuallybetween the belt flights.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel machine of thecharacter stated in which the means for presenting the caps individuallybetween the belt flight comprises a rapidly rotating disk having an edgeportion projecting between the belt flights, housing means includingguiding wall portions effective to direct the caps into the spacebetween the belt flights and against which the caps are thrown bycentrifugal force, confining wall portions preventing nesting of thecaps, and rotating agitator means for preventing jamming of caps.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel machine of thecharacter stated in which the cap counting and lot distributing meanscomprises the star wheel moved step-by-step by the caps fed individuallyinto contact therrwith by the belts, a chute structure having a portionin which to receive the caps from the belts after they pass the starwheel and two distributer portions disposed to distribute the caps intoindi vidual receptacles and also a gate shiftable to alternately directlots of caps into said distributor portions, electrically operated gateshifting means and mechanical control devices therefor operated bymovement of the star wheel to shift the gate each time a lot consistingof a predetermined.

4 will hereinafter appear; the nature of the invention will be moreclearly understood by reference to the following detailed description,the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a machine structure embodying theinvention.

Figure 2 is a right side elevation of the machine illustrated in Figure1.

Figure '3 is a vertical the line 33 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a somewhat diagrammatical vertical cross sectionalperspective view illustrating the crown cap counting and distributingdevices.

In the example of embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, there isincluded a framing and housing structure including a base 5 and ahousing body 6 secured thereon as at 'l. The body is constructed toprovide a shallow chamber 8 defined by a. circular wall 9 and having itscross section taken on peripheral portion closed by a cover plate orring i0 which is secured upon the body 6 as at Ii. See Figures 1 and 3.It will be noted that the plate H! has a central opening i2.

A disk i3 is rotatable in the chamber 8 with its peripheral edge closelyapproximating the wall 9 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 3and 4. The disk is secured as at I4 upon an upright shaft i 5 which isrotatably mounted in bearings I6 in a bearing sleeve ll depending fromthe bottom of the housing body 6. See Figure 3.

The" base 5 has bearing sleeves l8 and 19 secured thereon in horizontalaxially aligned position as at 20. See Figure 3. A driver shaft 2| isrotatably mounted in the bearing sleeves l8 and i 9 in anti-frictionbearings 22 and '23 respectively, and a pulley 24 is secured on one endof said shaft. Rotation is imparted to the pulley 24 by a belt 25 whichpasses thereabout and about a driver pulley 26 mounted on the shaft ofthe motor 21 which is supported on the base. See Figure 1. The shaft 2iis connected in driving relation with -the upright. shaft through abevel gear couple C as shown in Figure 3 and also has a driver pulley 28secured on the other end thereof, as illustrated in Figure 3, and thepurpose of this driver pulley will become apparent as this descriptionprogresses.

It will be apparent by reference to Figures 1 3 and 4 of the drawingsthat the housing bod 8 includes a straight portion 29 at one sidethereof, and said portion provides a chamber floor extension 30extending tangentially beneath the ed in a bearing bracket which isadjustably See Figure 2. A belt 31 supported as at '36. takes over thepulleys 33 and 34 in the manner clearly illustratedin Figures 2 and 4,and it will be observed that the top flight of said belt moves over thefloor extension 30 beneath the peripheral portion of the disk l3. SeeFigures 3 and 4.

42 which is rotatably mounted in bearings provided in a bracket 43secured on the cover ring m as shown in Figures land 2, and a driverpulley 44 is secured on the shaft 42. A driver pulley 45 also is securedupon the shaft 32, and rotation is imparted to the driver pulleys 44 and45 by a belt 46 which passes about said driver pulleys in the mannerillustrated in Figure 2, and about the previously mentioned driverpulley 28, an adjustably mounted tightener pulley 4! being provided fortaking up slack in said belt.

A belt 48 passes-over the pulleys 4| and 38, and it will be observed byreference to Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings that the parts are socooperatively arranged that the belt 48 extends a distance beyond theunderlying cooperating belt 31 and has its lower flight disposed on aslight downward incline toward the left as viewed in Figure 2, or in thecap feeding direction, thereby to providean entrance between thecooperating lower and upper flights of the belts 43 and 3! respectivelywhich is slightly greater in depth than the thickness of a crown cap,and a discharge portion directly over the pulley 33 which is slightlylea! in depth than the thickness of a crown cap. It will be apparent byreference to Figures 2 and 3 that the extension of the belt 48 beyondthe underlying belt 31 assures the provision of a flexible belt portiondirectly over the pulley 33.

It will be apparent by reference to Figure 2 of the drawings that thecover ring ill also is equipped with a support pad 49 whereon a controlhousing 50 is removably mounted. The housing 50 is designed to enclosethe control devices which count the crown caps passing. between thelower and upper flights of the belts 48 and 31 respectively and controlthe distribution of said caps. In the diagrammatic illustration inFigure 4, the control devices enclosed in the housing 50 are shown asextending below the belt 31 for purposes of clarity, but it is to beunderstood that said devices are mounted in the housing 50 and thereforeextend above said belt in the manner clearly indicated in Figure 2.

The cap counting and distribution control devices referred to include ashaft which is uprightly disposed and rotatably supported in bearingsprovided therefor in the housing 50. The shaft 5| carries a six-pointstar wheel 52 at its lower end, and it will be apparent by reference toFigures 2 and 4 of the drawings that this, star wheel is disposed in thespace between the lower and upper flights of the belts 48 and 31respectively and has its peripheral edge or star point portion extendedin the path of crown caps fed between said belts in the manner clearlyillustrated in Figure 1. In order to'permit the star wheel to projectbetween the belt flights in the manner stated, the cover ring I0 isprovided with a cutout 53. See Figures 2 and 4.

It will be apparent by reference to Figure +4 that the shaft 5i also hasa hexagonal head 54 secured thereon which is engaged by a spring presseddetent block 55 efiective to yieldably hold the star wheel in positionsto which it is indexed by the passing crown caps, and a worm gear 56 issecured upon said shaft and meshes with a worm wheel 5'! in the ratio of100 to 1. In other words, for each 100 revolutions of the worm gear 56 asingle complete revolution will be imparted to the worm wheel 51.

The worm wheel 51 is mounted on a horizontally disposed shaft 58 andcarries an actuator pin'59 which is engageable with the twelve teethprovided on the ratchet wheel 6! in a manner for turning said ratchetwheel one step for each complete rotation of the worm wheel 37. Theratchet wheel 6! is secured upon a shaft 62, and a spring detent 63engages the ratchet wheel in a manner for yieldably securing the same inthe positions to whichit is successively indexed by contact of theactuator pin 59. The shaft 62 has two control disks 64 and 65 securedthereon. Each of the disks 64 and 65 is equipped with a radiallyprojecting detent 66, and it will be apparent by reference to Figure 4that the detents 66 are diametrically oppositely disposed.

A crown cap receiving chute structure generally designatediil isprovided and is supported on the frame base 5 in the manner illustratedin Figure 2 in position for having the receiving portion or way 68thereof receive crown caps fed between the lower and upper belt flights48 and 31 respectively in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 4.The chute structure also includes two diverging crown cap distributingchannel portions or ways 69 and i0, and between said channel portions orways is mounted a diverter gate H which is shiftable to cause crown capsreceived in the chute portion or ,way 68 to pass out of a selected oneof the distributor channel portions or ways 69 and iii. In Figure 4, thegate is shown shifted to the left so as to cause the crown caps to passthrough the chute portion it, and it will be obvious that when the gateis shifted to the right the crown caps will be caused to pass throughthe chute portion 63.

The diverter gate H is pivotally mounted as at 12. It will also beapparentby reference to Figure 4 that the shaft to which the divertergate is secured includes an extension i4 equipped with an actuator crankit. The crank it is slot and pin connected as at 16 with an actuator rod11 extending between and connected with the cores of two solenoids l8and 19. It will be obvious that by alternately energizing the solenoids,the gate H can be shifted to alternately distribute crown caps throughthe chute portions 69 and 10. The solenoids may be mounted on'a bracketextending from the chute structure in the manner clearly illustrated inFigure 2.

A resilient contact bar is disposed opposite the control disk 54, and asimilar contact bar BI is disposed opposite the control disk 65. Each ofthe contact bars 83 and BI is fixedly mounted at one end and is free atits other end, and the fixed ends of said bars are electricallyconnected as at 82 with a power source 83. At their free ends, thecontact bars 80 and 8| overlie contacts 84 and 85 respectively, and saidcontacts are connected as at 86 and 81 respectively with the solenoidsI8 and I9. The solenoids are grounded as at 88. It will be apparent fromthe foregoing that each time one of the control disk detents 66 engagesand depresses acontact bar 80 or 8|, one of the contacts 84 or 85 willbe engaged to complete an electrical circuit through one of thesolenoids 18 or I9, and this energizing of a solenoid and the resultantshifting of the distributor gate H takes place once in each halfrevolution of the ratchet wheel 60.

It will be apparent by reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawingsthat a cover ring 80 is mounted on the cover ring I0. It will also benoted that a hopper 90 is secured on the ring 80 in position fordelivering crown caps through the center opening I2 in the cover plateor ring I and onto the disk I3.

The cover ring 89 is provided with a gear housing 9|, and a gear 92secured upon the upper end of the shaft I extends into said housing andmeshes with a gear 93 which is secured upon a shaft within said housing.The shaft is rotatably mounted in a bearing 94 provided in the housing9|, and in a bearing 95 secured on said housing in the manner clearlyillustrated in Figures l and 3.

An agitator shaft 96 is rotatably supported in an upper bearing 01provided in the cover ring 89 and in a lower bearing provided thereforin the ring I0, and at its lower end said shaft carries a knurledagitator head 98. It will be apparent by reference to Figures 3 and 4that the knurled head 98 is disposed in close proximit above the disk l3and is spaced from the adjacent wall portion of the straight part 29 ofthe body 6 a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the crowncaps. A driver pulley 99 is secured upon the upper end of the shaft 96.

A second agitator shaft I00 is provided and equipped at its lower endwith a frusto-coniform knurled agitator iilI which is disposed in closeproximity above the disk i3 and is spaced from the adjacent wall 9 ofthe housing body 5 a distance slightly greater than the diameter of acrown cap as indicated in Figure 4. A driver pulley W2 is secured to theupper end of the shaft Hill, and this pulley and the previouslymentioned pulley 09 are driven by a belt I03 which passes thereabout andabout a driver pulley P secured upon the upper end of the shaft carryingthe driven gear 93. See Figures 1, 2 and 3. The belt H03 also passes anadjustably mounted tightener pulley ltd.

By reference to Figure 4, it will be observed that a guide wall I05 isprovided and extends over the peripheral portion of the disk I3 inparallel spaced relation to the belt 31 which extends beneath the disk.This guide wall cooperates with the straight wall portion 29 of thehousing body in providing a guideway through which the crown caps arefed between the lower and upper belt flights 48 and 37 respectively, andit will be observed that the knurled agitator head 98 is disposed at thereceiving end of said wall I05. The wall I05 includes a yieldable wallportion I06 disposed opposite the star wheel 52. The yieldable wallportion I06 is pivoted as at I01 and is spring pressed as at I08 againsta limiting stop I09.

It will be apparent by reference to Figure l of the drawings that theguide piece H0 which is secured to depend from the cover ring I0 inposition for overlying the top flight of the lower belt 31 forms acontinuation of the housing wall 9 so as to smoothly guide the crowncaps into the space between the lower and upper flights of the belts 48and 31 and prevent abrupt jumping of the crown caps from the shoulderIII of the chamber wall I09 directly over against the straight wall ofthe straight portion 29 at the opposite or outer side of the belt 31. Itwill also be apparent by reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawingsthat the space between the undersurface of the cover ring I0 and the topsurface of the rapidly rotating disk I3 is only slightly greater thanthe depth of the crown caps II 2, and thus it is impossible for thecrown caps deposited through the hopper into the center opening I2 ofthe cover ring I0 and onto the disk I3 to pass into the space betweensaid disk and cover ring in nested condition.

In the operation of the machine, the crown caps H2 are depositedindiscriminately into the hopper 90 and through the cover ring openingI2 onto the top surface of the rapidly rotating disk I3. The caps arethrown by centrifugal force into the space between the upper surface ofthe peripheral portion of the disk [3 and the undersurface of the coverring I0, and guided by the chamber wall 9 and the extension piece H0,said caps are directed one by one into the space between the lowerflight of the belt 48 and the upper flight of the belt 31. Jamming ofthe caps is prevented by the rotating agitator 98 which rotates in themanner indicated in Figure 4 and tends to move any crown cap tending tojam in the entrance between the guide wall I05 and the straight wall atthe opposite side of the belts away from said entrance. The rotatingagitator head IOI serves a similar purpose in preventing jamming ofcrown caps in the position in which it is located.

As each crown cap passes the star wheel 52, it will engage the singlefinger or tooth which projects inwardly therefrom in the mannerillustrated in Figure l and will index the star wheel a single step. Thedetent 55 will yieldably hold the star wheelin position after eachindexing movement thereof. After each cap passes the star wheel, it willbe fed by the cooperating belt flights into the receiving portion 68 ofthe chute structure generally designated 61 in the manner clearlyillustrated in Figure 4.

Since the star wheel is provided with six fingers or teeth, the shaft 5|on which the star wheel is mounted will be rotated once for the passageof six crown caps. As previously described, the worm gear couple 56, 5'!has a to 1 ratio and therefore the worm wheel 57 will make one completerotation in the passage of six hundred crown caps, and consequently asingle indexing movement of the ratchet wheel BI will be imparted in thepassage of six hundred crown caps. The ratchet wheel 6i has twelveteeth, and as previously stated, the control disks 64 and 55 areprovided with single detents diametrically oppositely disposed.Obviously, therefore, one or the other of the control disks 64 will beeffective to energize one of the solenoids 18 or I9 when the ratchetwheel 6! has made a half turn. Thus each time 3600 crown caps havepassed into one of the chute portions 69 or 10, the gate II will beshifted so as to deliver the next 3600 crown caps to the other chutedistributor portion.

In the foregoing description is disclosed a machine for counting crowncaps or comparable this structure, no stack feed or stacker isnecessary, and no complicated timing mechanism need be employed. Thearticles are accurately counted as they pass the star wheel regardlessof whether they are fed in a continuous line or in interruptedprocessional groups.

While one form of the invention has been shown for purposes ofillustration, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, cap lot distributing meansincluding a receiving conveyor way, two cap lot distributor ways leadingoff from said receiving conveyor way and diverter means shiftable fromone position to another to divert crown caps to one or the other of saiddistributor ways; cap counting means including a star wheel; opposedtravelling belt flights between which said star wheel projects and whichare effective to grip crown caps between them and feed them inprocessional order past said star wheel to said receiving conveyor wayand for moving the star wheel upon each cap passage; means for feedingcrown caps between said belt flights and including a rotary disk havinga peripheral portion extended between said belt flights; and meansoperable after each counting off of a predetermined number of movementsof the star wheel for shifting the diverter means.

2. In a machine of the character described, cap lot distributing meansincluding a receiving conveyor way, two cap lot distributor ways leadingoff from said receiving conveyor way and diverter means shiftable fromone position to another to divert crown caps to one or the other of saiddistributor ways; cap counting means including a star wheel; opposedtravelling belt flights between which said star wheel projects and whichare effective to grip crown caps between them and feed them inprocessional order past said star wheel to said receiving conveyor wayand for moving the star wheel upon each cap passage; means for feedingcrown caps between said belt flights and including a rotary disk havinga peripheral portion extended be-.

tween said belt flights, a hopper into which crown caps can be depositedindiscriminately, and wall portions spaced with relation to the crowncap engaging face of the disk in a manner for preventing nesting of thecrown caps being fed between the belts; and means operable after eachcounting off of a predetermined number of movements of the star' wheelfor shifting the diverter means.

3. In a machine of the character described, cap lot distributing meansincluding a. receiving conveyor way, two cap lot distributor waysleading oil from said receiving conveyor way and diverter meansshiftable from one position to another to divert crown caps to one orthe other of said distributor ways; cap counting means including a starwheel; opposed travelling belt flights between which said star wheelprojects and which are eiiective to grip crown caps between them andfeed them in processional order past said star wheel to said receivingconveyor way and for moving the star wheel upon each cap passage; meansfor feeding crown caps between said belt flights and including a rotarydisk having a peripheral portion extended between 8 said belt flights,a. walled guideway for the caps and said belt flights extendingtangentially with respect to said disk peripheral portion, and a guidewall portion closely approximating and conforming to the periphery ofthe disk and extending over the lower belt flight to merge into theouter wall of said walled guideway; and means operable after eachcounting oil of a predetermined number of movements of the star wheelfor shifting the diverter means.

4. In a machine of the character described, cap lot distributing meansincluding a receiving conveyor way, two cap lot distributor ways leadingon from said receiving conveyor way and divei ter means shiftable fromone position to another to divert crown caps to one or the other of saiddistributor ways; cap counting means including a star wheel; opposedtravelling belt flights between which said star wheel projects and whichare effective to grip crown caps between them and feed them inprocessional order past said star wheel to said receiving conveyor wayand for moving the star wheel upon each cap passage; means for feedingcrown caps between said belt flights and including a rotary disk havinga peripheral portion extended between said belt flights, a walledguideway for the caps and said belt flights extending tangentially withrespect to said disk peripheral portion, and a guide wall portionclosely approximating and conforming to the periphery of the disk andextending over the lower belt flight to merge into the outer wall ofsaid walled guideway, said guideway being defined in part by a walloverlying a part of the disk and including a yieldable portion disposedopposite the star wheel; and means operable after each counting off of apredetermined number of movements of the star wheel for shifting thediverter means.

5. In a machine of the character described, cap lot distributing meansincluding a receiving conveyor way, two cap lot distributor ways leadingoff from said receiving conveyor way and diverter means shiftable fromone position to another to divert crown caps to one or the other of saiddistributor ways; cap counting means including a star wheel; opposedtravelling belt flights between which said star wheel projects and whichare effective to grip crown caps between them and feed them inprocessional order past said star wheel to said receiving conveyor wayand for moving the star wheel upon each cap passage; means for feedingcrown caps between said belt fiights and includin a, rotary disk havinga peripheral portion extended between said belt fiights, a walledguideway for the caps and said belt flights extending tangentially withrespect to said disk peripheral portion, and a guide wall portionclosely approximating and conforming to the periphery of the disk andextending over the lower belt flight to merge into the outer wall ofsaid walled guideway, said guideway being defined in part by a walloverlying a part of the disk and including a yieldable portion disposedopposite the star wheel; an agitator disposed at the end of said lastmentioned wall and at the entrance into said guideway and rotating in adirection tending to move can; away from said entrance; and meansoperable after each counting oii of a predetermined number of movementsof the star wheel for shifting the diverter means.

6. In a machine of the character described, cap

lot distributing means including a, receivin conveyor way, two cap lotdistributor ways leading oil from said receiving conveyor way anddiverter means shiitable from one position to another to divert crowncaps to one or the other of said distributor ways; cap counting meansincluding a star wheel; opposed travelling belt flights between whichsaid star wheel projects and which are effective to grip crown capsbetween them and feed them in processional order past said star wheel tosaid receiving conveyor way and for moving the star wheel upon each cappassage, pulleys supporting said belt flights one said pulley beingdisposed a limited distance beyond the star wheel in position fordelivering crown caps to said receiving conveyor portion and another ofsaid pulleys supporting the cooperating belt flight being disposed agreater distance beyond said star wheel and s0 placed with relationto'the first mentioned pulley and the star wheel as to provide a spacebetween the opposing belt flights at the position of the star wheelwhich is less than the thickness of the crown caps being counted anddistributed; and means operable after each-counting off of apredetermined number of movements of the star wheel for shifting thediverter means.

'7. In a machine of the character described, cap lot distributing meansincluding a receiving conveyor way, two cap lot distributor ways leadingoff from said receiving conveyor way and diverter means shiftable fromone position to another to divert crown caps to one or the other of saiddistributor ways; cap counting means including a star wheel; opposedtravelling belt flights between which said star wheel projects and whichare eiiective to grip crown caps between them and feed them inprocessional order past said star wheel to said receiving conveyor wayand for moving the star Wheel upon each cap passage, pulleys supportingsaid belt flights with the portions thereof between which the crown capsare received spaced'a greater distance apart than the portions thereofpassing said star wheel and the portions of said belt flights passingthe star wheel being more closely spaced than the thickness of the crowncaps being counted and distributed; and means operable after eachcounting oil of a predetermined number of movements of the star wheelfor shifting the diverter means.

8. In a machine of the character described, opposed travelling beltflight effective to grip crown caps between them and feed them inprocessional order past a counting station, means for directing capsbetween said belt flights, a star wheel extending between the beltflights at said station and adapted to be moved step-bystep by crowncaps fed individually therepast, a chute structure having a portion inwhich to receive the caps from the belt flights after they pass saidstar wheel and two distributor portions disposed to distribute the capsin alternately directed lots and also a diverter gate shiitable toalternately direct lots of caps into said distributor portions,electrically operated gate shifting means and mechanical control devicestherefor operated by movement of the star wheel to shift the gate eachtime a lot consisting of a predetermined number of caps has passed thestar wheel, said electrically operated gate shifting mean including apair of solenoids and a contact making and breaking means connected witheach thereof; and said mechanical control devices including a rotaryshaft having disk means thereon effective upon predetermined movement ofthe shaft to actuate the contact making and breaking means foralternately energizing the solenoids, a ratchet wheel on the shaftpanactuator shaft and an actuator pin movable therewith and thereabout inposition for engaging and imparting a step movement to the ratchet wheelfor each rotation of the actuator shaft, and a worm gear couple betweenthe star wheel and the actuator shaft.

9. In a machine of the character described, a housing body having achamber defined in part by a circular wall opening at one side into atangentially disposed feedway, a pair of travelling belt flightsdisposed in superposed relation in said feedway and spaced apart adistance for receiving and gripping crown caps therebetween and feedingthem through the feedway, a disk rotatably mounted in the chamber withits periphery close to the circular wall andextending between the beltflights into said feedway, a cover ring overlying the peripheral portionof said disk and spaced thereabove a distance effective to preventnesting of crown caps thereunder, a hopper for indiscriminatelydirecting crown caps through said ring onto said disk, and countingmeans including a star wheel having its periphery extending between saidbelt flights in position f0: being moved step-by-step by crown caps fedby said belt flights 10. Machine structure as defined in claim a inwhich the feedway is defined in part by a wall paralleling the inneredges of the belt flights and terminating opposite the point of greatestprojection of the disk between said belt flights to form an entranceinto the feedway, and in which there is provided an agitator at theentrance end of said last named wall rotating in a direction tending tomove caps away from said entrance.

11. Machine structure as defined in claim 9 in which the feedway isdefined in part by a wall paralleling the inner edges of the beltflights and terminating opposite the point of greatest projection of thedisk between said belt flights to form an entrance into the feedway, andin which there is provided an agitator at the entrance end of said lastnamed wall rotating in a direction tending to move caps away from saidentrance, and said last named wall includes a yieldable portion disposedopposite the star wheel.

12. Machine structure as defined in claim 9 in which the feedway isdefined in part by a wall paralleling the inner edges of the beltflights and terminating opposite the point of greatest projection of thedmk between said belt flights to form an entrance into the feedway, andin which there is provided an agitator at the entrance end of said lastnamed wall rotating in a direction tending to move caps away from saidentrance, and a second rotary agitator disposed closely over the diskand beneath the ring a distance from the circular wall slightly greaterthan the diameter of a crown cap and a distance beyond said parallelwall in the direction of rotation of the disk.

13. In a machine of the character described, a housing body having achamber defined in part by a circular wall opening at one side into atangentially disposed feedway, a pair of travelling belt flightsdisposed in superposed relation in said feedway and spaced apart adistance for receiving and gripping crown caps therebetween and feedingthem through the feedway, a disk rotatably mounted in the chamber withits periphery close to the circular wall and extending between the beltflights into said feedway, a cover ring overlying the peripheral portionOf said disk and spaced thereabove a distance eifective to preventnesting of crown caps thereunder, a. hopper for indiscriminatelydirecting crown caps through said ring onto said disk, and countingmeans including a star wheel having its periphery extending between saidbelt flights in position for being moved step-by-step by crown caps fedby said belt flights, a chute structure having a portion in which toreceive the caps from the belt flights after they pass said star wheeland two distributor portions disposed to distribute the caps inalternately directed lots and also a diverter gate shiftable toalternately direct lots of caps into said distributor portions,electrically operated gate shifting means and mechanical control devicestherefor operated by movement of the star wheel to shift the gate eachtime a lot consisting of a predetermined number of caps has passed thestar wheel.

14. Machine structure as defined in claim 13 in which the electricallyoperated gate shifting means includes a pair of solenoids and a contactmaking and breaking means connected with each thereof; and themechanical control devices include a rotary shift having disk meansthereon effective upon predetermined movement of the shaft to actuatethe contact making and breaking means for alternately energizing thesolenoids, a ratchet wheel on the shaft, an actuator shaft and anactuator pin movable therewith and thereabout in position for engagingand imparting a step movement to the ratchet wheel for each rotation ofthe actuator shaft, and a worm gear couple between the star wheeland-the actuator shaft.

15. In a machine of the character described, a housing body having achamber defined in part by a circular wall opening at one side into atangentially disposed feedway, a pair of travelling belt flightsdisposed in superposed relation in said feedway and spaced apart adistance for receiving and gripping crown caps therebetween and feedingthem through the feedway, a disk rotatably mounted in the chamber withits periphery close to the circular wall and extending between the beltflights into said feedway, a cover ring overlying the peripheral portionof said disk and spaced thereabove a distanc efiective to preventnesting of crown caps thereunder, a hopper for indiscriminatelydirecting crown caps through said ring onto said disk, counting meansincluding a star wheel having its periphery extending between said beltflights in position for being moved step-by-step by crown caps fed bysaid belt flights, and pulleys supporting said belt flights with theportions thereof between which the crown caps are received spaced agreater distance apart than the portions thereof passing said starwheel, one said pulley being dispos d a limi. 2d distance beyond andbelow the star wheel and another of said pulleys supporting thecooperating belt flight being disposed a greater distance beyond saidstar wheel.

JOHN NURNBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,144,708 Rau Jan. 24, 19392,235,286 Cookson Mar. 18, 1941 2,287,823 Pearson June 30, 19422,304,982 Wilckens Dec. 15, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date818,058 France June '7, 1937

